Buddy Seat for 1965 FLH

[rbenash]

Sorry, I meant Oct 64.
VPH-D

Yeah, now that makes sense. Thanks for correcting. The one thing about seats is if you have the original date stamp on the pan - it's golden. After I decided to take the leap to restore rather than refurbish the '65 from my Father the seat was a big deal to me.

Among a LOT of other things about a '65 that I knew and most which I learned after studying for 10 years before completing the resto. Even after that I STILL learned a LOT of odd ball stuff about a '65 FLH.

I have photos of the before and after of the original all white seat on mine. It was well used and had the signs to prove it. I had to decide to recover or restore. I knew it was a unique seat to the '65 FH.

If you have an all white original seat in rough shape with the original stamping I have to plug Bob&Joe again. They have or did have the vinyl with the correct welt and surface, he understands what the "seat feel" and cushioning needs to be. They have the matching old style gold piping if you want it.

They also have a set of stamps that match the font if you need to freshen the original stamping to make it more visible. I asked them to NOT paint the bottom of the original seat pan and just over strike the original stamping as it had faded. I have before and after shots.

They did a PERFECT restoration. It not only looks great after several years but has the same "butt feel" and comfort as the original vinyl and padding. I ride the bike.

Everyone else gave me a bit of a run around. Sent samples, blah, blah. Then never got back, could never get them on the phone again, etc.

Bob and Joe just straight up did it right. A bit spendy and it took awhile but it's perfect. I'm sure they could do the same on other colors but extra special on this all white version. Just saying there's a reason they show that '65 deluxe buddy with gold piping in their add in the club rag.

[craig (DE)]

IMHO maybe for spares stock for over the counter replacement sales but not for new production MC's. And that's a
"loose" guess. Don't even want to expand the conversation into date stamps on seats that were for spares/replacements.

The "true" 1965 all white seat was a smooth top. I have an early production '65. Late year (64) Deluxe Buddy seats as installed on 1965 FLH may have skipped the gold piping, not sure.

It would have a date stamp that showed year 1964. Most every all white installed on production 1965 FLH original seat with smooth top/sides had gold piping. I had the original on
my Fathers bike and a used one. Both had the '64 stamping and had the gold piping.

When 1965 seat discussion goes to black and red seats - It's beyond my experience as I was totally focused on the all white 1965 model year seat for 10 years
before completing my '65 resto.

In the end though I do believe from years of looking the white seats were smooth on all sides - meaning no stitching to create pleats or pattern. There was a really
fine grain to the material used but it was virtually smooth, no stitching heavy grain or pattern on the seat. etc. I've seen NOS 1965 FLH all white seats and they had the
gold piping. If the gold piping is missing I don't think it's a huge deal. Has to be smooth though to be a true '65 white seat look.

Also - if you have the rubber strip around the bottom/rim of the seat or seat pan - it's '65 or later. That rubber strip/method
was used so you could strip the cover easier I beleive. Eitherway that's and indicator of 65 production year and later buddy seats for FLH Shovels.

In my experience the original all white smooth top/sides 1965 buddy seat with gold piping was a year thing and a distinquishing mark for a 1965 FLH with the KOTH grouping or optional deluxe buddy seat.

The true "buddy seat" not the "deluxe buddy seat" was the one that looked like a banana seat. It was also smooth top with gold piping for 1965. I had/have one if it's still in the loft. It also had a '64 year stamp.

The 66 and later shovels had a pleated pattern on the seats with a rubber ring arount the bottom rim, whether white, black or red. On both the Deluxe Buddy Seat or the regular Buddy Seat (banana seat). Also the seat rail on the bannana style buddy seat from 65 models to 66 had a change to the rear hand rail pattern as well. It went from tubular material to cast aluminum.

If you have a '64 seat pan with the stamping and want to do a close as possible match to an all white '65 seat - use Bob & Joes while they are still with us - after LOTS
of research Bob had the right material, the knowledge on how to do the padding and underlining to make the "butt feal" exact - and the gold piping. Look at their
addy in the club rag and you will see an all white buddy seat for a 1965. There's a reason that's there :-)

Chris and the other experts and those that worked for or had their own dealerships will keep me honest. Hanging myself out a bit for some vitriol on this one :-)

The

Hello Ray,

Who is Bob and Joe's that you talked about for having a seat reupholstered?

[rbenash]

Hey Sorry - meant to say Chuck & Jo. Husband and wife team who operate The Saddleshop Classic Seat Restoration.
They advertise in the club magazine. See page 74 of the March/April edition.
They recently changed their photo in the ad but used to show an all white '65 buddy with gold piping. They are the folks that did my seat restoration.

chucknjo@saddlerestoration.com
386-690-3797

[craig (DE)]

Thanks Ray. I will check them out.

[craig (DE)]

Just made contact with Chuck and will make plans for my seat re-do.

[rbenash]

Good move. You won't be disappointed. Might take awhile, but I was always able to get hold of them for status, etc. I think my redo cost me around $800 when I had it done.

[Dave Bucco]

Regarding the comments about date codes on seat pans, and the value of them. Don't do what I did and try to preserve the original paint by waxing the pan bottom. Takes that date code right off of there! Doh!!! Oh well, another lesson learned the hard way!
Dave Bucco #3695

[craig (DE)]

Good move. You won't be disappointed. Might take awhile, but I was always able to get hold of them for status, etc. I think my redo cost me around $800 when I had it done.

Hey Ray, that's what I hear. I had no idea on the price though!

[rbenash]

If you are talking about getting a '65 restoration done right it's never going to be cheap now. AFA a good, quality restoration on a deluxe vinyl style buddy seat goes your not going to find
one done well for less IMHO.

If you aren't doing a true restoration buy a used seat or a cheaper restoration in leather or just not worry about it.

I wanted mine to be exact to original, not just a cosmetic look.

When I was searching for a NOS all white '65 only with gold piping best I could find was 1100-1500 and this was from AMCA members at AMCA meets that new I needed it for a true
'65 restoration.

That was up to around calendar year 2008 when I gave up trying to find an NOS version for reasonable money. Good used versions were running 800-1000 even with some stitching popped here or there.

Can only imagine what one would go for now IF you could find one. And even they might have some thread rot at this point in age where if you actually use the seat will split or break and cause the seam to open up. The vinyl also ages and gets brittle. So even an NOS seat can then split at the seams down the road if you are actually riding the bike.

In my case $800 for a truly accurate and useable deluxe white vinyl buddy seat was just fine. And from folks that are true artists at what they do was a huge adder.

[craig (DE)]

I'm not looking to go cheap in my restoration but I have no clue since I only owned this bike for about 2 weeks and learning stuff everyday.

I do look forward to having my buddy seat restored to a usable and accurate accessory. Now if I will be able to swing my vertically challenge legs over the seat might be a different story.

[rbenash]

Be really careful about the spend if you are trying to do a '65. My suggestion to anyone trying to do a '65 resto now is save your money and time. AKA you might think you have a
'65 based on engine number or frame info but you probably have no idea what you are in to.

The '65 mark is REALLY hard, always has been. Don't spend your money on this unless you know what you are doing and know a '65. All of the one off and special parts pretty much
don't exist for cheap now.

Pick another year is my suggestion if you want to do a Pan or Shovel true restoration. '65 is a b$$$$ to get right.

Don't even get me started on the paint for a '65 if you have a Hi Fi color...

That said if you want a deluxe buddy old style leather Pan or the newer style vinyl Pan saddleshop has done the homework and will get it right.

Who knows how long they will be around... love them wish they could live forever and have no idea if they have kids, friends, relatives that can keep
their business going. A great resource. I think their primary is vintage bicycle seats. Bob is a great leather man for sure.

[craig (DE)]

Well it's too late for not doing a '65 since I already have the bike. I'll never enter it into an AMCA judging meet anyway since having bad experiences with other bikes. This will be another collector bike that I will enjoy riding and will pass down to my children. And besides, I will now have a correct buddy seat from Chuck and Jo!